This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona
Location: Daytona, Fla.
Course: Daytona International Speedway
Format: 2.5-mile tri-oval
Laps: 60
Race Preview
The build up to the official start of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season continues with Thursday night's Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona International Speedway. Only Joey Logano and Michael McDowell's front-row starting spots are locked in ahead of Thursday's unique qualifying races. The rest of the field will be set Thursday night. Each qualifying duel is 60 laps in length, and the starting lineups are determined by the aforementioned single-car qualifying. Finishing positions in each of Thursday's two races will set the starting positions for Sunday's main event. As an added bonus, finishing inside the top 10 in Thursday's duels nets those drivers points toward the season championship. Denny Hamlin took the first checkered flag on the year at the Busch Clash at the Coliseum, but it has been Ford-powered cars that have dominated the qualifying duels at Daytona, and two will start Thursday's races from pole. In fact, Austin Dillon and William Byron are the only two drivers to have won a qualifying duel since 2019 while not driving a Ford. The race to be part of the Daytona 500 kicks off Thursday night.
Key Stats at Daytona International Speedway (points races)
- Number of races: 153
- Winners from pole: 26
- Winners from top-5 starters: 75
- Winners from top-10 starters: 114
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 14
- Fastest race: 183.295 mph
Previous 10 Daytona Duels Winners
2023 Duel No. 2 - Aric Almirola
2023 Duel No. 1 - Joey Logano
2022 Duel No. 2 - Chris Buescher
2022 Duel No. 1 - Brad Keselowski
2021 Duel No. 2 - Austin Dillon
2021 Duel No. 1 - Aric Almirola
2020 Duel No. 2 - William Byron
2020 Duel No. 1 - Joey Logano
2019 Duel No. 2 - Joey Logano
2019 Duel No. 1 - Kevin Harvick
Thursday's qualifying races will be the first time teams get a real taste of action in the draft ahead of Sunday's Daytona 500. With regular-season points on the line, drivers should have a little more incentive to race for a top spot, though. However, the two drivers locked into the front row from single-car qualifying are likely to take things more conservatively. With 36 charter teams guaranteed a spot in Sunday's race, the qualifying duels put extra pressure on the non-charter teams hoping to make the race on Sunday. Those teams will be going all out to finish as high in the order as possible. Starting position at Daytona is not as important as at most other tracks on the calendar, too. The 500-mile race offers plenty of opportunity for drivers starting further back to work on their car and move forward. However, like all superspeedway contests, getting to the finish without getting caught in an accident is arguably the most important task. Teams will be loathe to suffer an accident on Thursday that forces them to pull out a backup car for Sunday.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Denny Hamlin - $9,800 - Duel 2
Martin Truex Jr. - $9,600 - Duel 1
Ryan Blaney - $9,500 - Duel 2
Tyler Reddick - $9,400 - Duel 1
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Bubba Wallace - $9,100 - Duel 2
Brad Keselowski - $8,800 - Duel 2
Kyle Larson - $8,700 - Duel 1
Chase Elliott - $8,500 - Duel 1
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Ty Gibbs - $8,000 - Duel 1
John Hunter Nemechek - $8,000 - Duel 2
Chris Buescher - $7,800 - Duel 1
Josh Berry - $7,400 - Duel 2
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Austin Cindric - $6,800 - Duel 2
Erik Jones - $6,700 - Duel 1
Austin Dillon - $6,100 - Duel 1
Noah Gragson - $6,000 - Duel 2
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona
Duel No. 1 Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Martin Truex Jr. - $9,600
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - $9,200
Kyle Larson - $8,700
Ty Gibbs - $8,000
Chris Buescher - $7,800
Austin Dillon - $6,100
Toyota and Ford enter the 2024 season with new body styles, and Toyota specifically is hoping their evolution helps them achieve more success as places like Daytona. After failing to finish in the top 10 of the championship in 2023, Martin Truex Jr. (DK $9,600, FD $9,000) is hungry for redemption this year. Daytona has been a challenge for him with just three top-fives from 37 career starts, but a more stable Toyota in the draft could be what he needs to break through. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (DK $9,200, FD $8,000), on the other hand, always seems to be at his best on the superspeedways. He is last season's defending Daytona 500 champion and will be tenacious as he tries for a repeat win. His first step is a top finish in the first of Thursday's qualifying races. Kyle Larson (DK $8,700, FD $9,200) is an early favorite to win the championship, and he started on the right foot as the third-fastest in single-car qualifying. Larson has not won a points race at Daytona, but he has started on the front row in four of the last five races at the track. The Hendrick Motorsports cars tend to be competitive at Daytona, and not having to preserve a front-row qualified car this season could unleash a little extra from Larson this Thursday.
Some longer shots primed for better finishes Thursday night include Ty Gibbs (DK $8,000, FD $6,800). His price point for Thursday is a good one considering he should be expected to benefit from Toyota's new body style. He nearly made the playoffs on points as a rookie last season and should be a driver fantasy players expect to win races in 2024. Chris Buescher (DK $7,800, FD $11,500) is another driver that looks like a bargain. He won three races last season and has always been among the top drivers in the draft. His price point for Thursday seems like a steal, and he has a legitimate shot at winning his duel. Similarly, Austin Dillon (DK $6,100, FD $7,000) has a record of success at Daytona. His price for this qualifying race, considering his two career points wins at the track, is a steal and fantasy players should take notice.
Duel No. 2 Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Denny Hamlin - $9,800
Ryan Blaney - $9,500
William Byron - $8,200
Josh Berry - $7,400
Austin Cindric - $6,800
Noah Gragson - $6,000
Denny Hamlin (DK $9,800, FD $13,000) got his 2024 season started with a victory in the Busch Clash. He would probably prefer another Daytona 500 win, but he would also likely take a win in the duels. Hamlin qualified low in the order Wednesday, but single-car runs are not always indicative of what a driver may be capable of in the draft. Fantasy players shouldn't shy away from Hamlin. Ryan Blaney (DK $9,500, FD $13,500) certainly seems to have the potential to win Thursday night as well. The Team Penske driver has a teammate on pole and is a top racer in the draft. Team Penske should be expected to contend for the wins all weekend. William Byron (DK $8,200, FD $10,000) appears to have a quick car for Thursday, too. The Hendrick driver was sixth fastest in single-car qualifying. Byron is a former fall race winner at Daytona and finished eighth there last August.
Like the lineup for the first duel, there are several value options available for the second qualifying race. Leading that list may be Josh Berry (DK $7,400, FD $6,500). Berry is taking over the wheel from Kevin Harvick for 2024 who retired to the commentator's booth. Berry served as a substitute for multiple teams in the Cup Series in 2023, scoring a best finish of second at Richmond while subbing in the No. 9 car. Berry was behind the wheel of the No. 42 last August at Daytona, finishing 22nd. Former Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric (DK $6,800, FD $8,200) is also worthy of consideration. Superspeedways and road courses are his best tracks dating all the way back to his days in NASCAR's Xfinity Series. As mentioned, Cindric won the Daytona 500 in 2022 and he backed that up with a third-place finish in the fall race that year, too. Finally, Noah Gragson (DK $6,0000, FD $5,800) returns to the series full time after being suspended and subsequently removed from his seat at Legacy Motor Club. He joins Stewart-HAAS Racing for 2024, and fantasy players should be excited to see what he can do with the better equipment he'll have at his disposal behind the wheel of the No. 10 Ford.
